Toowoomba Council reveals its State Budget wish list

by ElouiseQuinlivan

Elouise Quinlivan
Journalist
I studying Journalism and Education at the University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, with distinction.
Before finishing uni I published articles and features in magazines such as the Australian Books Arts Journal and No Cure magazine as well as running a mini street-press for Toowoomba called ‘The Postbox’.
Travelling became the backbone of my writing and arts work throughout the past few years, travelling to regional areas across the East Coast to...

WITH the state budget to be handed down on Tuesday, Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio has revealed his budget wish list.

Infrastructure developments dominate the list, including the Toowoomba Railway Parklands Priority Development Area, finishing flood mitigation works and getting public transport in the city moving.

"We're certainly seeking support from the state and federal governments to help us on our journey as we build this community," Cr Antonio said.

He said funding for "essential enabling infrastructure" was vital with a focus on the parklands "where we would dearly like some support from either state or federal or both as we build that as a central part of this community.

"It's very close to the CBD, ideal for an urban village and I think provided some of the enabling work is done and we give it some help from two levels of government the private sector will come into it."

Toowoomba Regional Council estimates the PDA will provide up to 3300 jobs during construction and a further 1800 jobs in retail and service industries.

The parklands covers a total area of 51.3 hectares.

"There are a lot of things happening in Toowoomba and it's the enabling infrastructure that we need to make sure we get in place to allow us to take advantage of the opportunities coming our way."

Cr Antonio said he also hoped to secure a seat for Deputy Premier Jackie Trad on the TSBE Access China 2016 trade mission to Shanghai in October.

He said he hoped Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan was also on-board.

"We all have an interest in the excitement there is here in Toowoomba with the airport, the Range Crossing and the potential there is for inland rail; all of us will benefit from that," Cr Antonio said.

The wish list also included public transport development.

"There's been some exciting developments in terms of charging for parking by our new shopping centre in the last little while," he said.

"We think that some of that issue can be resolved if there's adequate public transport which there's not in Toowoomba.

"In saying that, I don't blame anyone for that; Toowoomba's on the verge of dropping into an area where public transport would work."

He said funding would also assure the final pieces of flood mitigation planning.

"We are doing a lot of mitigation work around the floods," he said.

"Our ambition has always been in a Q100 flood to keep the water in the creek and we're very nearly there.

"There're about two or three more things to do then we'll have the job complete."